Family

Jon Gruden is out in Las Vegas ... but there will still be a Gruden on the Raiders' staff.

Jon's 27-year-old son, Deuce Gruden, is staying put in his role as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the team, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Monday night.

Of course, Deuce is accused of no wrongdoing ... but it's interesting nonetheless, given the way Jon was ousted on Monday.

As we reported, Jon resigned in disgrace following reports that he sent multiple emails from 2010 to 2018 that contained anti-gay and misogynistic language.

In a statement revealing his intentions to step down as Raiders head man, Jon said he was "sorry" for it all ... adding, "I never meant to hurt anyone."

Deuce, meanwhile, has yet to publicly comment on the situation ... but it's clear, he's not letting it affect his job status with the team.

Deuce was initially hired on Jon's staff after the 58-year-old took over the head coaching reins in 2018.

Fuquan Johnson may very well be alive today if there was an effective way to screen drugs he took for fentanyl -- and it's something that shouldn't be ignored ... so says his own mom.

The comedian's mother, Paulene Johnson, tells TMZ ... she's 100% in favor of fentanyl strips being used, and firmly believes her son might still be breathing right now if he had access to some on the night he and two others overdosed and perished from fentanyl-laced cocaine.

We should note, Paulene is NOT advocating for recreational drug use -- even telling us she wasn't aware Fuquan partook himself beyond weed -- but she acknowledges the reality ... that people are going to dabble, and if so -- why not be safe about it?

She believes folks who do hard drugs are stuck between a rock and a hard place in an OD sitch ... fearful of incriminating themselves by calling cops. With that said, Paulene says fentanyl strips could be a good alternative for users looking to avoid that entire scene.

Paulene says parties need to be made safer by any means necessary -- and if fentanyl strips are a viable option to prevent deaths, she's all for it.

As she sadly notes to us ... she buried her son last month, and shouldn't have had to.

TMZ broke the story ... Fuquan was one of three comedians who OD'd and died at a party in Venice -- this after cops believe they ingested coke laced with the deadly opioid. Kate Quigley, the 4th comedian who also overdosed, survived the ordeal ... and is on the road to recovery.

Jamie Lynn Spears has something to get off her chest -- but prefers that we read about it ... and the timing seems to be anything but coincidental as it relates to her sister.

The one-time Nickelodeon child star -- and famous sibling to one Britney Spears -- just announced she's got a new book that's about to hit shelves ... which she calls "Things I Should Have Said." Hmmm, interesting title ... go on.

JLS explains the project -- which has apparently been in the works for a few years now -- this way ... "Back In 2017, after Maddie’s life changing accident, I felt a strong conviction to share my story, but there was a lot of personal work and healing that had to happen before I could share my truth the proper way."

She goes on to say that she's felt pressure her whole life to be perfect, even though she says she's far from it ... and adds this book will touch on her own mental health struggles.

There appears to be a shot at her family embedded in here, and perhaps a direct tie to Britney's conservatorship sitch -- with Jamie Lynn saying that instead of glossing over these problems "like (she) was taught to" ... she's being radically honest on the pages before her.

Jamie Lynn finishes by saying that she's still got a lot of learning to do, but hopes this book can help people who've lost their voice ... and who are trying to break unhealthy cycles in their own lives. She also says the proceeds are being donated to a nonprofit called This Is My Brave, which encourages folks who suffer from mental illness to share their stories.

The 'Captain America' actress who told cops she killed her mother in self-defense just days before Christmas has been found incompetent to stand trial ... TMZ has learned.

According to court records ... Mollie Fitzgerald was found to lack competency to stand trial in late September. Her attorney, Jason Billam, tells TMZ ... she'll be returned to a state mental hospital for treatment.

We're told things are on hold for now, and her mental state will be reviewed every 90 days to see if she can regain competency to stand trial.

Billam tells us 3 mental health doctors stated their case and the court was satisfied with their findings. He said 2 of the 3 doctors concluded Mollie didn't have the ability to assist her attorney in providing a defense and she didn't understand what's happening to her.

That said ... Billam did say Mollie understands she's been charged with the murder of her mother ... and she also understands the roles her attorney, prosecutors and the judge play but gets confused about how the overall judicial process works.

Turns out the dude who sat behind home plate at the Dodgers game back in 2016 is NOT one of the most wanted men in the world ... he's just a regular ol' baseball fan who happens to look like the convicted felon who illegally swindled $325 million, authorities say.

As we previously reported, the U.S. Marshals believed they had a credible lead on John Ruffo after a relative believed they spotted him on TV sitting behind home plate at a Dodgers game in 2016.

FYI, Ruffo was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars, but skipped town before serving his time.

The story recently came to light after ABC recently published a podcast on the case.

But, the U.S. Marshals now tell TMZ Sports the fan in question is NOT the fugitive ... he was just a dude who went to a baseball game and landed at the center of one of the biggest sports stories of the week.

After the story blew up, someone recognized their family member as the man in question, and contacted authorities ... who ultimately cleared the guy.

Tim Tebow appeared to be on the verge of tears when addressing the Urban Meyer bar scandal ... saying he's praying for his friend and former coach's family during the "heartbreaking" situation.

The Heisman Trophy winner -- who played for Meyer at Florida from 2006-09 and briefly with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season -- addressed the incident on ESPN's "First Take" on Friday ... and it's clear he's distressed about it all.

Tebow says he gave advice to Urban in the days following the "very difficult week" ... suggesting he apologize, learn from and never repeat his actions.

"I know this is weighed so heavy on his heart and he is hurting," Tebow said.

"This is not something that I think anybody in his family takes slightly. This is a very serious situation, it's a very disappointing situation but I also know that coach isn't taking it lightly."

Tebow believes football can be a good outlet for Meyer to move past the situation and build up his reputation again ... adding it could help him escape the media "circus" that has been going on.

"I agree for some people they would need to take a timeout in a situation like this," he added.

"But for him, he just loves the game so much that he might be able to pour in a little bit into the game, into his team, into his coaching staff and at the same time, spend a lot of time with his family."

Tebow says Urban will work endlessly to earn his family's trust back and mend their relationship.

"I really believe at the bottom of my heart that coach loves Miss Shelley and his family so, so much and I've seen that for years and years and years. I think that this was a moment where he put himself in the wrong place and he was in the wrong state of mind and he had too much to drink and that led to bad decisions."

Urban has spoken publicly and behind closed doors with his team over the past week ... calling his actions "stupid."

Tyson Fury's sick and tired of the back and forth between his bro, Tommy, and Jake Paul ... telling both fighters to "grow some balls" and fight already!!

There's been a lot of bickering between the two fighters on social media recently ... with Jake publicly offering a $1 million payday (an amount TF claimed was not even worth getting out of bed for).

With negotiations reportedly picking back up again, TMZ Sports asked the Gypsy King himself for his thoughts on Jake vs. Tommy ... and he wants this fight to go down just as bad as the rest of us!!

"The fight is supposed to be happening," Tyson told us this week. "Both guys keep talking about it, so they better step up and show some balls and actually do the fight."

"I'm sick of all the talk about a fight that doesn't happen, so let's get it on! Let these 2 go to war. Put on a show for the fans. Everybody wants to see it!"

Tyson -- who has his own highly-anticipated trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder on Saturday -- gives props to the Problem Child's success so far in the boxing world ... applauding his undefeated record.

So ... if both guys sign on the dotted line, is Tyson gonna show up??

The Brian Laundrie manhunt has a new team member ... Brian's dad.

Christopher Laundrie joined the search Thursday morning in Florida where he was met by police. Park rangers were there waiting for Christopher and the cops as they opened the gate to let them in.

As for how all of this transpired -- law enforcement requested Christopher help officers with the search at a Florida preserve, according to his attorney ... who added that since the preserve had been closed to the public, "Chris had not been able to look for Brian in the only place Brian's parents believe he may be."

As we reported, Dog the Bounty Hunter and his team are convinced Laundrie has been hiding in the Florida Everglades where he's been searching. It's worth noting ... Dog says Laundrie may have hightailed it out of there in the last few days but he's adamant Laundrie's been there.

Laundrie's sister, Cassie, recently went on 'GMA' and detailed the last time she saw her brother ... which was during a camping trip after he'd returned to Florida without Gabby Petito.

She said she last spoke to Brian in person on Sept. 6 ... while she and their parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, FL. She said the family dropped in for a quick minute and then left. She's denied knowing his current whereabouts.

Britney Spears' boys look like they're having a good time and enjoying their lives ... no matter how much drama's going on in hers.

Britney's 2 teenage sons -- Sean Preston and Jayden James -- with her ex, Kevin Federline, popped up in a couple photos on social media posted by one of Kevin's friends.

The boys were all smiles as they posed with the guy, a choreographer named Eddie Morales, who referred to Britney and K-Fed's sons as "my nephews."

Eddie also heaped praise on Federline in his post with the caption, "NOW THE WORLD WILL SEE HOW MUCH OF A GREAT DAD HE HAS BEEN !" ... seemingly suggesting Britney's conservatorship developments will shed light on Kevin's parenting skills.

Finally, Morales' post included a video of Jayden playing piano ... showing he might be following his mom's musical footsteps.

Tamar Braxton's got her sights set on returning to television after an admitted toxic relationship with the reality TV biz, but she says when she does ... she's choosing a different way to tell her story.

We got Tamar at LAX Wednesday and asked about her teasing her family's series, "Braxton Family Values," coming back to the airwaves ... but possibly on a new network.

As you'll recall ... Tamar was released by WE tv last summer following her suicide attempt and subsequent claims the reality TV industry and its "toxic, systemic bondage" drove her to want to end her life.

Despite that, "Braxton Family Values" still aired as planned, but now Tamar's suggesting she has a different type of family TV project in the works ... one that won't follow the conventional "reality" route.

Specifically, she says the show won't pry into her personal life, and will depict her family in a way she feels is fair.

LeBron James simply cannot believe his oldest son, Bronny, is just one year from becoming an adult ... wishing the young hoops star the happiest of birthdays and wondering, "What in the hell is going on. How are you 17??"

The Sierra Canyon baller is celebrating his birthday on Wednesday ... and King James honored him with a special tribute.

"My baby boy! Ight enough of soft 💩💩. 🤣🤣," James said on Instagram. "Proud of you Young 🤴🏾.

"Watching you grow into the young man you are today makes me so happy and proud! Love you kid!"

Remember, Bron was away in the NBA's Orlando bubble for Bronny's 16th, so we're sure the James Gang will be making up for lost time and going all out for his 17th.

FYI -- Bronny is one of the top hoops prospects in the Class of 2023 ... and could possibly end up at a big college basketball program.

LeBron reflected on Bronny's rising success on and off the court -- applauding his hard work at a young age.

"Keep going up above and beyond! I’m right here guiding and watching! ❤️❤️❤️❤️👑"

Urban Meyer is still doing damage control -- the Jacksonville Jaguars coach addressed his controversial bar appearance in a full team meeting on Wednesday, where he reportedly showed "remorse and responsibility."

Meyer is on the hottest of seats after video surfaced of the coach cozying up with a young woman -- not his wife -- at an Ohio bar last weekend ... with Jaguars owner Shad Khan calling his actions straight-up "inexcusable."

The 0-4 coach reportedly brought up the whole crap storm in front of the entire team again just minutes ago ... where he said he only cares about two things -- his family and his players -- and he let both down.

"I embarrassed them both," coach said, according to NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala.

No word on how the players and staff reacted to Urban's mea culpa, but reports claimed players didn't take his previous apologies too seriously earlier this week ... cracking up and laughing once Meyer left the locker room.

There are rumblings the distraction may not be worth it to a winless team looking to get its bearings ... but as of right now, Meyer's still the guy in Jacksonville.

Coach is set to meet with local reporters on Wednesday ... and we expect them to throw down the gauntlet.

Britney Spears was diagnosed by medical professionals with a mental illness, but Jamie Spears and the business management team he hired felt they could free Britney from the grips of her mental problems with religion ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

Jamie became a born again Christian after a stint in rehab early on in the conservatorship. Jamie knew Lou Taylor, who worked with Jamie Lynn as early as 2004 and also became a spokesperson for the family back then.

Taylor created a company called Tri Star Entertainment and in 2008 she and Jamie discussed making Tri Star the business manager in the conservatorship.

Taylor was also a fervent born again Christian ... something she talked about on the "Today" show in 2008. Taylor brought in Robin Greenhill, who worked for Tri Star, to have day-to-day contact with Britney ... helping manage her business affairs. But, we're told it went way beyond money ... Robin in particular was up in every aspect of Britney's life.

Our sources say for the first year, Jamie, Robin and Lou literally walked around with the bible in hand, proselytizing the word of God. We're told for a time they would only let Britney read religious material. And, we're told, there was a large measure of intolerance for anyone who wasn't a "good Christian."

Interestingly, Lynne Spears wrote in one of her books ... "Jamie was going to file for the conservatorship on January 22 [2008] ... but he and his business manager, Lou, felt God leading them to wait, fast and pray, despite the frustration of a phalanx of lawyers."

The religious push was on full display during the entire Circus Tour, we're told, but as the money cascaded in, religion sort of fell by the wayside and money became central to business management and the conservatorship ... so say our sources.

Tri Star was getting 5% of Britney's gross profits, and when she was performing that was an enormous amount of money. Fast forward to 2019 when Britney stopped performing. At some point, Taylor emailed Jamie and said the commissions had dwindled and she wanted a guarantee of $500,000 a year.

Some folks on the inside, including Britney's lawyer, Samuel Ingham, felt that was wrong, because when someone takes a percentage they tend to make more than they should for a certain period and less for other periods, but it evens out. People said some insiders felt Lou wanted it both ways. Jamie, however, didn't feel that way, and approved the $500k floor, which greatly upset some people involved.

Bam Margera's struggles with substance abuse put himself and anyone around him in harm's way ... at least according to the "Jackass" franchise director.

Jeff Tremaine -- who's shepherded the "Jackass" movies for years now -- claims in new legal docs he loves Bam like a brother, but says he's had a front-row seat to Bam's vices and it hasn't always been pretty.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jeff says whenever Bam's intoxicated he's a danger to himself and others ... and he claims Bam's recent behavior has brought a dark cloud over the movie franchise.

Jeff's responding to Bam's lawsuit over his firing from the upcoming 'Jackass 4' ... as we first told you, Bam claims he was forced to sign an agreement that he claims amounted to psychological torture and got the boot when he didn't live up to the conditions.

In the docs, Jeff says Bam voluntarily signed the sobriety commitment agreement but stopped cooperating with his wellness program in July 2020 and began taking illicit amphetamines. Tremaine claims the "Jackass" fam tried to find a way for Bam to be in the movie, but Bam's wellness coach shut them down ... and Paramount Pictures ultimately dropped the ax.

As we've told you ... it's been a very rocky year for Bam, who has publicly beefed with the "Jackass" crew, with Tremaine even getting a restraining order against him.

Cassie Laundrie is sticking to her story -- namely, that the last time she saw Brian was during a family camping trip after he'd returned to Florida (sans Gabby Petito) ... which she says was totally normal.

The guy's sibling spilled what she maintains she's known and currently knows to 'GMA' Tuesday -- saying she last spoke to Brian in person on Sept. 6 ... while he and their parents went camping at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, FL. Cassie says she and her own family dropped in very briefly and then left ... not thinking anything was amiss.

She even shared a couple photos she says she took of Brian that day ... with him hanging out with her kids (his nephews), and sure enough -- he looks cheerful and nonchalant.

Cassie says she was not aware that Gabby had not returned with him at that point, and in hindsight ... wishes her bro would've come to her first, instead of going to his parents. Speaking of them ... Cassie flatly denies knowledge of any involvement on their behalf.

With that said, she does openly wish that IF they do know something or helped him in any way ... that they come forward and tell the truth, as she says that would be true justice for Gabby.

Cassie repeats much of what she said during an interview earlier this week, when somebody grilled her with much of the same questions ... if not more intensely.

There too, she denies knowing his current whereabouts ... and maintained the same camping story, while clarifying she's been cooperative with law enforcement. The one thing everyone has failed to ask (or broadcast) is ... what did Brian say about Gabby during that trip, and where did he say she was while hanging with his fam?

Brian Laundrie's sister says she doesn't have the slightest clue where he is ... and she says she simply doesn't know if her parents are in on his mysterious disappearance.

Brian's sister, Cassie, confronted a group of protestors outside her Florida home Monday ... telling them she hasn't seen Brian since he went missing and she's been cooperative with law enforcement.

Cassie says she's just as frustrated as everyone else with the case, and wants answers.

As you know, Brian fell off the grid last month ... and his parents are the last ones who saw him before he disappeared.

Dog the Bounty Hunter is searching high and low for Brian, even venturing to a remote island off the Florida coast, but so far he's struck out.

There's been a few alleged Brian sightings ... most recently a hiker claims to have seen Brian on the Appalachian Trail ... but nothing concrete.